At the New Year’s Eve banquet, Chi Wan sat beside Yu Jiuzhou. To their left sat two well-behaved little ones.
Born into the imperial family, even if they were as mischievous as monkeys in private, they had to know their etiquette on formal occasions.
Chi Wan had only just learned today that the two little ones had already listened to many books. Although it wasn’t formal schooling yet, they spoke like little adults.
Among the high officials and nobles of Shengjing, children began their education as early as three, or slightly later at four or five.
Chenchen and Guiyi were naturally intelligent. For one thing, the two toddlers had been out of diapers for a long time and had never wet the bed.
Chenchen liked to listen to history, while Guiyi preferred mathematics. Every day, Chun Gui would read to them.
Every morning, they had half a shichen of history stories and half a shichen of math stories. As a result, their speech was not as unstructured as that of ordinary children.
Their language education had started so early; no wonder they spoke like little adults.
With the two little ones’ intelligence, as long as they didn’t go astray, their future achievements would surely be great.
When Chi Wan went to pick them up today, she happened to hear the two of them arguing over something.
Chenchen: “I saw this item first.”
Guiyi: “Mine.”
“Mine.”
“Mine.”
“I’m going to tell Auntie Chun Gui.”
“Me too.”
“You’re not allowed to copy me.”
“I’m not.”
Hearing Guiyi’s curt replies, Chenchen grew even angrier. “Yu Chengzhao!”
Guiyi: “…Here, you can have it.”
Guiyi’s voice was clearly a little aggrieved, but she still gave the item to Chenchen. It was a clear suppression by bloodline.
Of course, the two were still young. It was hard to say if they would still squabble like this when they grew up.
Chi Wan smiled helplessly and walked over. “My two treasures.”
Chenchen: “?!!!”
Guiyi: “…”
“Who are you?” Guiyi was the first to ask.
Before Chi Wan could answer, Chenchen spoke up. “She’s Mother.”
“Mother?” Guiyi tilted her head.
They had always heard that their mother was a great general who defended the country, drove back Beining, defeated Nanyue, and saved Great Zhou.
But they no longer had any memory of their mother.
Chi Wan smiled and crouched down. “What, do I not look like your mother?”
There were portraits of her in the palace, as well as clay figurines. While not identical, they were at least ninety percent accurate.
They had seen them and knew that was their mother. But when the portrait, the clay figurine, became a real person standing before them, they were somewhat bewildered.
Chenchen knew she was her mother, but she was very distant with her.
Guiyi was even more amusing, looking at her with a sense of familiarity, yet not daring to acknowledge her.
When she crouched down, bringing them to roughly the same height, they were able to meet her gaze.
It was because of this eye contact that the aloofness in the two little ones’ beautiful eyes slowly faded, as if they were truly beginning to accept the person before them.
They had heard yesterday that their mother had returned and knew the person standing with their other mother was her, but today was their first formal meeting.
Chenchen’s milky voice sounded, “Mother.”
Guiyi obediently followed her sister’s lead and also called out, “Mother.”
It was clear they said it with unfamiliarity. There was a hint of affection, but not much.
Affection had to be nurtured. In time, the two children would naturally grow close to her.
Chi Wan was in no hurry. From now on, she had plenty of time to spend with her wife and children.
Looking at the two little ones, she scooped them up, one in each arm. The two children let out a cry of surprise, then began to laugh.
“So high, so high!”
“Mother is so strong.”
Of course, Chi Wan thought. How could I serve my wife if I weren’t strong?
Chi Wan walked toward the Imperial Study. Yu Jiuzhou was currently meeting with the Duke of Xu.
As she walked, she told the two little ones about what she had seen outside the capital.
Chenchen and Guiyi both looked wistful, saying they wanted to go out and play.
Guiyi: “I want to ride a horse on the grasslands.”
Chenchen: “I want to go to the highest mountain in Great Zhou.”
Chi Wan smiled and agreed, “Alright. When you’re older, you can go by yourselves.”
“Why won’t Mother come with us?” Chenchen asked, puzzled.
Guiyi: “Why?”
Chi Wan chuckled lightly. “Because Mother has to accompany your other mother!”
Her two little ones were logical and articulate, not at all like two-year-old toddlers.
Then again, children born into powerful families matured early. From a young age, they competed with their siblings for things, and when they grew up, they competed for family resources and titles.
These children had no choice but to mature quickly.
As for her two little ones, they didn’t need to compete for anything, yet they were still exceptionally bright. It must be innate.
Chi Wan was already thinking about how to choose tutors for them when it was time for their formal education.
They would certainly have to learn the Six Arts of a gentleman, to be capable of governing the country in civil matters and bringing peace to the world in military affairs.
When Yu Jiuzhou wanted to retire someday, Great Zhou would be handed over to these two.
Hearing Chi Wan say she had to accompany their other mother instead of them, Chenchen put on a deliberately pitiful expression. “Mother is busy, and now Mother is busy too.”
“Yes!” Guiyi chimed in.
Chi Wan laughingly teased them, though she was also speaking the truth. “Of course. To me, your other mother is the most important person, so naturally, I must prioritize accompanying her.”
Chenchen’s mind spun for a moment before she understood, but she still looked aggrieved. “Alright then.”
Guiyi: “Alright then.”
Chi Wan couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Her tone shifted. “But from now on, Mother will play with you too.”
“Really?” The two little ones’ eyes lit up with anticipation.
“Really,” Chi Wan nodded emphatically.
Perhaps this was the magic of blood ties.
Chi Wan smilingly brought the two little ones to the Imperial Study, where Yu Jiuzhou was staring coldly at the Duke of Xu.
“Xu Chenyu!!!”
Before Chi Wan even stepped inside, she heard a furious roar. Yu Jiuzhou seemed to be enraged.
She gave Chun Gui and Xia Qu a look, and the two quickly came over to take Chenchen and Guiyi into their arms.
Worried about frightening the children, she had them take the children away first while she went inside.
The Duke of Xu was kneeling on the floor, but his back was ramrod straight, showing no intention of backing down.
“Your Majesty, this subject requests an audience with Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
After her burst of anger, Yu Jiuzhou had regained her composure. She only ever showed such outward emotion in front of her closest relatives.
And yet, her own uncle, after all she had said, still had only this one request.
She had made it very clear. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t let them see the Empress Dowager, but that they should wait a little longer, until the reforms were completely stable.
Yu Jiuzhou was about to say more when she saw Chi Wan walk in, and she reined in her anger.
Chi Wan didn’t even glance at the Duke of Xu. “Your Majesty, since the Duke of Xu is so concerned about the Empress Dowager, just let them meet. The Empress Dowager is unwilling to see anyone, but that shouldn’t include the Xu family, should it?”
Xu Chenyu was stunned. “Why is my sister unwilling to see people?”
Why was she so angry for no reason?
Chi Wan stared at him. Seeing that his surprise did not seem feigned, she spoke, “The Empress Dowager believes that with Your Majesty’s ascension, she has failed the ancestors of the Yu family, and she is unwilling to see anyone ever again.”
Although Xu Chenyu was not the most astute, he understood his sister. She had been fine as a child, but ever since she was designated as the Crown Prince’s consort, the palace had sent many people to teach her etiquette. There were also officials from the Ministry of Rites who taught her how to be a qualified consort and a future empress.
After that, his sister had become taciturn, and every word she spoke was about rules.
What Chi Wan said was something his sister was truly capable of doing.
To his sister, rules were more important than anything. Even when her own daughter became the emperor, her attitude was still the same.
Xu Chenyu bowed. “Reporting to Your Majesty and Your Highness, this subject wishes to see not the Empress Dowager of Great Zhou, but my own dear sister.”
He could only concede, seeking to see the Empress Dowager as a duke, or to see his sister as a brother.
The former was too formal and required following procedures, such as submitting a formal request for an audience. The two of them would also not be able to speak without attendants present, unless Ci’an Palace was an impenetrable fortress.
Yu Jiuzhou agreed. No matter what the Empress Dowager might say, or what the Duke of Xu might do after he returned, she would grant them this meeting.
As for any subsequent trouble, she had already made a concession. If they still didn’t know when to advance or retreat, they couldn’t blame her for disregarding the bonds of kinship.
Yu Jiuzhou waved her hand, signaling for her attendants to take Xu Chenyu to see the Empress Dowager. What the two of them would say was not important; what mattered was what they would do afterward.
After Xu Chenyu left, Chi Wan stepped forward and pulled Yu Jiuzhou into her arms. “You’re carrying a child. Don’t get angry.”
“I’m fine.”
Yu Jiuzhou said, then noticed the two little ones weren’t there and asked, “They didn’t hear me lose my temper, did they?”
“No, don’t worry.”
Chi Wan smiled and stroked Yu Jiuzhou’s head. Even in a situation like this, she was still worried about her image in front of the two little ones.
“That’s good. Otherwise, they wouldn’t like me anymore.”
“What are you talking about? No matter how fierce you are, you’re still their favorite.”
Yu Jiuzhou shot her a look. “When have I ever been fierce?”
Chi Wan nodded with a grin. “Yes, yes, my wife is the warmest, most adorable, kindest, most considerate, and most beautiful.”
Her words made Yu Jiuzhou can’t help but pat her.
“You’re being silly.”
“How is it silly? It’s all from the heart.”
Yu Jiuzhou sat back down on the arhat bed and took out a memorial. “Take a look at this.”
Chi Wan raised an eyebrow and opened the memorial. The contents made her frown. “Imprisoning one’s own mother, an act of great treason…”
There was more, saying that for Great Zhou to have such an emperor was a misfortune for the nation.
The person who wrote this memorial was a famous Grand Confucian scholar in Great Zhou. He had been an official for many years and had once berated the Shengyuan Emperor so fiercely that the emperor nearly had him killed. If not for his reputation, this Grand Confucian would likely be long gone.
Now, having gotten wind of this news from somewhere, he had submitted this memorial. With this memorial submitted, Yu Jiuzhou had to give the world an explanation. Otherwise, the accusation that she had imprisoned the reigning Empress Dowager would surely be used against her.
Although this Grand Confucian loved to meddle, his family was indeed poor, and he had no channels to obtain such information. It seemed someone had deliberately told him.
That was why he had submitted the memorial.
Chi Wan thought for a moment. “Why not have the Empress Dowager tour Great Zhou on behalf of the late Emperor? Seeing more of the mountains and rivers might do her good.”
Touring Great Zhou on behalf of the late Emperor was just a pretext. The real purpose was to get the Empress Dowager out and about. Once she truly had her freedom, would she still be able to cling to such absurd rules?
She was Yu Jiuzhou’s mother, after all. They couldn’t just kill her.
Thus, Chi Wan added, “The Duke of Xu can accompany her.”
Then they could dispatch a reliable escort to protect them, killing two birds with one stone.
First, it would show that the Empress Dowager was not being controlled; she was still making public appearances. Second, it would prevent the Empress Dowager from staying in the capital, where who knew what she might do while lost in her own thoughts.
Yu Jiuzhou shook her head. “The Brahma Heaven Cult will not let the Empress Dowager go.”
Chi Wan said seriously, “Doesn’t Your Majesty think this is a good opportunity to draw out the Brahma Heaven Cult?”
“Use the Empress Dowager as bait?” Although Yu Jiuzhou disliked how the Empress Dowager always said a Kun Ze could not be emperor, she was still her mother.
“The tour is real, but the Empress Dowager in the procession will be a fake. We’ll swap her out, bring the real one back, and let the fake tour the country to lure the Brahma Heaven Cult into taking the bait.”
The Brahma Heaven Cult were rats in the gutter. These people hid in dark corners, constantly expanding their followers, and the gentry and powerful clans revered them as gods.
No, they believed the Brahma Heaven Cult could overthrow Yu Jiuzhou, and when that happened, the reforms would naturally fail.
At first, everyone thought the reforms were something Gao Zheng had come up with. Later, as the reforms gained momentum, they realized that without the emperor’s support, the reforms could not proceed, even with Gao Zheng as the Grand Secretary.
Once they figured out who was actually backing the reforms, the gentry and powerful clans constantly created trouble, attempting to pull Yu Jiuzhou down from her position.
Hmph, a fool’s dream.
Chi Wan had Yu Jiuzhou rest her head on her lap, gently stroking her hair to soothe her emotions. “However, not all scholar-officials deserve to die. History teaches us to win over the majority and strike at the minority.”
There would always be enough benefits to make some of them betray the scholar-official bloc.
Yu Jiuzhou was a natural-born emperor. She naturally understood what Chi Wan was saying and immediately made a decision. “I will make the arrangements.”
After discussing official matters for a while, Chi Wan began to massage Yu Jiuzhou’s head. Thinking about so many things every day easily led to headaches.
In the Imperial Study, Chi Wan remained well-behaved. The main reason was that the previous night had been too intense, leaving them both exhausted. They needed a good rest before they could do anything delightful.
After a short while, Yu Jiuzhou called the two little ones in, and the family of four spent some time bonding.
The main purpose was to help the two little ones quickly get used to Chi Wan, but they didn’t force them. After all, the sudden appearance of a mother required time to process.
The two little ones were still young; they had to take it slow.
During this time, Yu Jiuzhou also summoned the Grand Secretariat to discuss some matters that needed to be handled after the holiday break. Only then did they prepare to attend the New Year’s Eve banquet.
By this time, everyone had arrived and was seated.
Chi Wan had a strange feeling that this New Year’s Eve banquet would not go smoothly. Someone was bound to cause trouble.
At the New Year’s Eve banquet, everyone was eating, drinking, and having a merry time.
Chi Wan raised her cup to toast Yu Jiuzhou, and the two drank the tea in their cups together.
Yu Jiuzhou’s cup contained a sweet soup. The New Year’s Eve banquet was quite long, and sweet food was needed to replenish one’s energy.
Just as they were subtly showing their affection, someone tactless indeed came to disturb their loving moment.
“Your Majesty, the New Year’s Eve banquet is a time of national celebration. Why is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager not present?”
Chi Wan glanced over coldly. No one spoke.
At their level, many things did not require their personal involvement.
“The Empress Dowager has never been fond of such occasions. Even when the late Emperor was alive, she did not attend these banquets. What is so strange about her absence now?”
“I have heard that the Empress Dowager spends her days in Ci’an Palace and never goes out. If this continues, Her Majesty’s health will surely suffer.”
“Insolence! Are you prying into the affairs of the inner palace and cursing the Empress Dowager’s health?”
The two sides went back and forth, neither giving an inch, which flushed out quite a few people who wanted to fish in troubled waters.
Just as someone made a slip of the tongue and was caught, the most reliable Lord Lu Xin stepped forward. “This person harbors ill intentions. I implore Your Majesty to punish him.”
“Granted. Sixty strokes of the cane and strip him of his official rank.”
Sixty strokes of the cane could easily kill a person. Even if he survived, being stripped of his official rank meant he would no longer have its protection and would likely be finished off by his political enemies.
With that, everyone quieted down. A heavy punishment at this moment was enough to intimidate a group of people.
After this harsh punishment, the New Year’s Eve banquet finally settled down. Surely no one else wanted to try the taste of sixty strokes.
Perhaps there were such people, but not at the New Year’s Eve banquet. The imperial clansmen, nobles, and high officials present were all accustomed to a life of comfort. Who among them could endure such a punishment? If the executioner had a mind to, it was possible a life could be lost just like that.
The New Year’s Eve banquet was not yet over, but Yu Jiuzhou had no desire to stay any longer. She left the banquet with Chi Wan.
The two sat in a courtyard identical to the one in the Princess’s Residence, lying on rocking chairs in a sealed pavilion, enjoying the tranquility of the moment.
Yu Jiuzhou asked, “These people were so eager to speak out at the New Year’s Eve banquet. Why do you think that is?”
Chi Wan didn’t have to think hard. “The person behind them couldn’t wait any longer.”
Regardless of whether the mastermind was the Brahma Heaven Cult or someone else, Chi Wan’s return had indeed drawn the snake out of its hole, making them unable to resist launching the first attack.
Yu Jiuzhou felt that as soon as the news of the Empress Dowager’s tour got out, many people would be looking forward to it. Some might want to meet the Empress Dowager to brainwash her, while others might want to kill her and frame them.
No matter who it was, anyone who made a move would have to die.
“Very well. There’s no sense in guarding against a thief for a thousand days. Let’s take this opportunity to spread the news of the Empress Dowager’s impending tour.”
The news of the Empress Dowager’s tour spread before the New Year celebrations were even fully over.
Some said: Yu Jiuzhou doesn’t want to be accused of imprisoning her own mother, the Empress Dowager of Great Zhou, so she’s putting on a show.
Some said: The Empress Dowager’s tour proves that Her Majesty has a clear conscience.
And others said: Why is the Empress Dowager touring on behalf of the late Emperor? To see the beautiful lands he ruined?
In short, there were many different reactions to the news, and the Brahma Heaven Cult also began to stir.
A dormant Brahma Heaven Cult was difficult to understand, but a Brahma Heaven Cult on the move, as long as the Imperial City Division was diligent, would always leave some clues.
The Brahma Heaven Cult was stirring, and it was certainly for the Empress Dowager.
Yu Jiuzhou did not hesitate. She immediately formed a reliable escort to accompany the Empress Dowager on her tour, with the Duke of Xu also in attendance.
But not long after the Empress Dowager left the palace gates, she was swapped out and brought back. Now it was just a matter of seeing if those people would take the bait.
In any case, the Duke of Xu had not left. With him there, everyone would believe that the person in the carriage was the Empress Dowager.
In reality, the Empress Dowager was now in the Princess’s Residence.
Compared to the imperial palace, which always had some vulnerabilities, the Princess’s Residence had none.
Hiding the Empress Dowager in the Princess’s Residence was the safest option, and it also made it convenient for them to meet.
Today, both Yu Jiuzhou and Chi Wan went to see the Empress Dowager off. The two of them watched the procession depart into the distance before returning to the palace.
They certainly wouldn’t visit the Empress Dowager for a short while, but the Empress Dowager was free to wander around the Princess’s Residence and see the place where her daughter had lived.
As for whether the Empress Dowager would ultimately change her mind, they didn’t hold out much hope.
After all, the prejudices in a person’s heart are very difficult to change.
When the Empress Dowager arrived at the Princess’s Residence, she immediately recognized where she was. At first, she only summoned the two guards to mock them sarcastically.
Her mockery was aimed at Yu Jiuzhou. Wasn’t she grandly sending her on a tour? And what was the result?
Two days later, she was hiding in her room, eating vegetarian meals and chanting Buddhist scriptures, not once thinking of looking at the place where her daughter had lived, of putting herself in her daughter’s shoes to imagine why she had to have the throne.
The fact was, to the Empress Dowager, none of this was important. What was important was that she believed Yu Jiuzhou had imprisoned her in the Princess’s Residence, which further proved her point: a Kun Ze could not be emperor.
A few more days passed before the Empress Dowager finally emerged from her courtyard to take a good look at the Princess’s Residence.
In truth, the Empress Dowager wanted to know why her perfectly good daughter had suddenly developed such wolfish ambitions, so she wanted to go to the study. There would surely be many clues she wanted to see there.
There were indeed many things in the study. The first thing the Empress Dowager saw were the books, all of which were texts that Qian Yuan would study for the imperial examinations, and even some books about emperors.
For example, the autobiography of an emperor.
The Empress Dowager frowned. Looking at the notes in the margins, her daughter must have wanted to be emperor for a long time, and she had been completely unaware.
Looking at these books, even if one had no ambition, it would be cultivated.
Could it be Chi Wan? Yes, that’s right. The notes in the books were dated to after Chi Wan married into the Princess’s Residence.
If that was the case, then just as she had suspected, Chi Wan was the main culprit.
Anger surged in the Empress Dowager’s heart. She should have opposed Chi Wan’s marriage into the Princess’s Residence back then.
But at that time, Chi Wan had already ruined Yu Jiuzhou’s reputation. To preserve her dignity and the rules, Chi Wan had to marry into the Princess’s Residence.
Of course, there was another way, and that was to kill Chi Wan. But Chi Wan came from a family of founding meritorious nobles and could not be killed unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be breaking the rules?
If Yu Jiuzhou knew this, she would probably laugh with rage.
Rules, always the rules. For the sake of so-called rules, her own daughter’s happiness was unimportant.
The Empress Dowager believed it was Chi Wan’s marriage that had given Yu Jiuzhou the idea of becoming emperor; otherwise, there was no other reason.
Until the Empress Dowager saw the imperial edicts the Shengyuan Emperor had sent to the Princess’s Residence over the years.
The Empress Dowager had received an excellent education. From these edicts, she could discern one thing: the Shengyuan Emperor, for the sake of his own reputation and his legacy, had been constantly using Yu Jiuzhou.
It was more than just use. In this way, no new emperor could tolerate a Grand Princess who held immense power over the court. In the end, Yu Jiuzhou, as the Grand Princess, could only fight the emperor for a sliver of a chance at survival.
Historically, the emperor won more often.
So, to win, to survive, one had to become the emperor.
The Empress Dowager fell silent. She shut herself in her courtyard once more.
Chi Wan knew everything that was happening in the Princess’s Residence. She had arranged all of it to make the Empress Dowager understand that from beginning to end, Yu Jiuzhou had only one choice: to become emperor. If she didn’t, the entire Princess’s Residence would be destroyed.
The Empress Dowager, as her mother, would not have survived either.
To fight was to have a sliver of a chance at survival; to compromise was to walk a path to certain death.
However, right now, Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou had no time to concern themselves with the Empress Dowager’s thoughts, because not long after the Empress Dowager’s procession left the capital, the Brahma Heaven Cult’s movements became even more frequent.
In particular, the identity of Commandery Mistress Fu Qing had been thoroughly investigated.
And the leader of the Brahma Heaven Cult was none other than Princess Lin’an. This princess, who had once been married off for the sake of Great Zhou and trapped among foreign tribes, had one day turned her spear against her own people.
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